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From exploring Denali National Park to fishing for salmon in Anchorage, discover the top Alaska destinations on a Princess cruise. They groan, creak and shudder on their march to the sea, punctuated by the booms and crashes of "white thunder" — a sound that echoes across the water when ice calves into the ocean below. On an Alaska cruise, let us show you Glacier Bay National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier. The largest tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard Glacier has been moving its mass towards the ocean at a rate faster than most of its kind. Towering above the water over 30 stories, the glacier often calves 100-foot chunks of ice into the ocean. What lies beneath the waves is almost as impressive, where ice plunges 1,200 feet beneath the surface.
Best Shore Excursions On An Alaska Cruise
From ship to shore, the best is at your fingertips on our Alaska cruises. Valdez is situated in Prince William Sound and serves as the gateway to the interior of Alaska. Often referred to as the "Little Switzerland", Valdez is known for its breathtaking panorama of snow-capped mountains and glaciers.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT Alaska Cruises
Snow-covered mountains dominate the skyline while rivers feed the earth below. Explore your surroundings on a Copper River rafting trip, or fish for Alaska salmon in the mesmerizing waters. We have more Alaska cruise port departures featuring Glacier Bay National Park than any other cruise line. All Alaska cruises include one or more glacier-viewing days, and you’ll get closer to ‘the giants’ on ships perfectly sized for the Great Land. With vast forests, rolling tundra, mighty rivers, pristine lakes and towering mountains, you will feel tempted to continue exploring the outdoors with Alaska land tours after your cruise.
Twice the glaciers
On an Alaska cruisetour, encounter wildlife in their natural habitats and experience their unique personalities for yourself. Every Princess Alaska cruisetour takes you to Denali National Park so you can enjoy a land beloved by millions but only seen by the adventurous. This national park is a dream destination for any serious Alaska traveler. With some of the most stunning wilderness in existence and famous wildlife, it’s part of the definitive experience of traveling to the Great Land’s wild interior.
Learn From our Guests
You can discover even more magnificence during your Alaska cruisetour at Wrangell-St. Elias and Kenai Fjords National Parks, where one of the four largest ice caps in the world invites guests to explore its terrain. A Princess exclusive, this new cruisetour is curated to provide whales breaching in Glacier Bay National Park, bear viewing in Katmai National Park and observing Denali’s “Big 5” such as moose and caribou in Denali National Park. Wildlife enthusiasts will be thrilled with the opportunities to observe these incredible creatures in their natural habitats. This 13-night cruisetour also features a visit to Alaska’s premier Wildlife Conservation Center.
Edge of your seat entertainment, all weather activities like the fan-favourite Flowrider® and unparalleled views from every room. Alaska’s summer season begins in early May and extends until late September. See our blog post to learn more about the best time to cruise to Alaska. Kayak silent fjords on your journey along the coast of the Last Frontier.
Top Alaska Cruise Destinations
Explore fjords, glaciers and Gold Rush-era towns on weekend voyages out of Seattle. Make the most of your cruise by keeping an eye out for pop-up sales that can save you even more money—you can even use those savings to indulge in a pre- or post-cruise tour. The storied Cunard cruise line, with more than 180 years of seafaring history, returned to Alaska after nearly 30 years when it arrived back in the Great Land in 2019. In addition to more than 140 shore experiences that immerse guests into this magical destination, Cunard invites explorers, travel writers and locals onboard to share their passions and knowledge.
Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord
Visit the Chugach National Forest, the second largest national forest in the United States. Or visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and see brown bears, moose and bison living in a protected habitat that perfectly emulates the wild. Situated within Denali State Park near the Chulitna River, the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge® offers unparalleled views of Denali from the treehouse as well as the Great Room and expansive deck in the main lodge.
Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Ketchikan is where folks go to see the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, with athletes wielding axes and saws in traditional lumbering activities. Book a fishing trip to try your hand at catching salmon or halibut, or go out crab fishing for a glimpse into that type of work. Kids can hang out in the youth lounges while parents hit the spa or try a wine-tasting class. Everyone can come back together for dinner and evening entertainment or onboard activities suitable for all ages.
(HAL is the first cruise line to serve fresh, certified-sustainable Alaskan seafood.) As of September, acclaimed chef Masaharu Morimoto is the Fresh Fish Ambassador as part of the line’s Global Fresh Fish Program. We offer an array of Alaska cruisetours and a mix of both iconic ports and seldom-seen gems. Most of Celebrity’s Alaska cruises sail round-trip from either Vancouver or Seattle. You could also opt for a one-way cruise between Vancouver and Seward or Vancouver and Seattle.
My (Somewhat) Disappointing Alaska Cruise on the Grand Princess - Upgraded Points
My (Somewhat) Disappointing Alaska Cruise on the Grand Princess.
Posted: Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Upgrade your cruise to a Cruisetour and explore the Last Frontier on land either at the beginning or end of your northern getaway. With a CruiseTour, you’ll get to journey deeper into Alaska’s breathtaking wilderness while crossing off bucket list experiences, like a tundra trek in Denali, wildlife watching in Seward, and glacier gazing in Alyeska. Sail 500 miles deeper into the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound on our back-to-back Voyage of the Glaciers Alaska cruise. Spend 14 days roundtrip from Vancouver, B.C., stopping in historic port cities like Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. Enjoy three glacier-viewing experiences on every itinerary — including Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord.
If you're interested in Alaska's gold rush history, Skagway — 90 miles northwest of Juneau — is a port you shouldn't miss. In fact, it's the gateway to the Klondike and Dawson mining district in Canada's Yukon territory, where prospectors searched for gold in the late 1890s. The historic district still has a Wild West feel, though that's been a bit commercialized for the modern era. This port can get crowded in summer when several ships can call on the same day. Floatplane and helicopter tours take you around scenic areas like Misty Fjords or land you on a glacier, perhaps for a dog-sledding or hiking adventure on the ice.
Weeklong itineraries generally embark in either Seattle or Vancouver, British Columbia — though some itineraries originate in Juneau. A few lines, such as Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Cunard Line, offer 10-night Inside Passage cruises from Seattle or Vancouver. Regardless of the ship, passengers can expect a wide range of entertainment offerings, an abundance of bars, restaurants, and lounges, and a handful of accommodation options. Now that we’ve covered the basics of all things Alaska cruising, keep reading to discover the best Alaska cruises for every type of traveler, featuring expert insight and award-winning picks.
With over three acres of windows and glass exterior viewing lifts, you can watch for whales along Alaska’s Inside Passage when you aren’t wandering wilderness paths from Ketchikan to Juneau. And for the ultimate outdoor adventure, take a CruiseTour into Alaska’s interior where you can hang with huskies in Denali, and scale glaciers in Alyeska. You’ll also see whales; the Inside Passage is a great place to spot humpbacks and orcas. Look out for bald eagles perched in the trees, steller sea lions spread out on rocks, and cute sea otters bobbing in the water. To search for the Big Five—grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, Dall sheep, and moose—extend your vacation with a Cruisetour and a visit to Denali National Park. Alaska is all about exploring the Great Outdoors with family and friends, learning about US History and enjoying wildlife.
